PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES DEFENCE BILL

ZAGREB, Oct 25 (Hina) - Commenting on objections by MPs that a new defence law should be passed only after the adoption of national security and defence strategies, Defence Minister Jozo Rados said in parliament on Thursday that there had been no political will so far to define the strategies in the form of binding documents. During today's discussion on the defence bill, several party benches warned that the bill should be discussed only after or alongside the passing of the National Security Strategy. I hope that the strategies of national security and defence, which are being drafted by the government, will arrive in parliament before the adoption of a new defence law, and that we will not be forced to change laws once the strategies are passed, Rados said. Commenting on requests my Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly that military catering establishments should start functioning and be given to local self-government units, the defence minister said many local self-government units needed said establishments, but that this required significant material resources which they do not have. Several MPs seized the opportunity of the discussion on the defence bill to reiterate the question whether the Defence Ministry's Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) should supervise civilians, which the public had mentioned on several occasions as the defence minister's final stance. In the most developed democratic countries, such a service has the right to defend itself from structures attacking the security system, Rados said in reply. (hina) lml sb